You're Still You
by Nubiangeek63
Summary: This was written after the episode Innocent.


He didn't know what to make of her. He had been fascinated by her, but not like the other men whom he had sen drooling over her. He had gotten the feeling that there was more to her than could be seen. He wanted to get to know her.  
  
He made a decision -- he would call her for coffee. He thought about what he was planning to do. While slightly unethical, he wasn't actually breaking any rules. The case was over, and Sara had never been an actual suspect. She was only a witness.  
  
On his break, Tim pulled out his cell and punched in her number.  
  
"Hello. . ."  
  
"Uh, hi, Sara. . ."  
  
Her first reaction was to try to figure out who would be calling her Sara. Then, she remembered the one person that she had told her real name.  
  
She didn't know what made her do it. She was usually very careful about who she told her real name. She certainly wouldn't normally tell a complete stranger. She would need to be more careful in the future.  
  
She said that she didn't know what made her tell Tim her real name, but, deep down, she knew why.  
  
"Oh, hi, I didn't think you would call." she said shyly.  
  
"So, are you saying that you didn't want me to call?" Tim joked. He had not forgotten that she had come there looking for him.  
  
"Would you like to go for coffee?" Tim asked seriously.  
  
She was surprised. She hadn't thought that he would actually ask her out for coffee. Tim noticed her hesitation, and mistook it for her not wanting to go.   
  
"Yes, I would love to go for coffee." she said quickly.  
  
They made arrangements for when he got off work.  
  
"Great, so I'll see you then, Cookie, I mean Sara." he joked.  
  
Calleigh came in just then.  
  
"You're not going out with that porn star, are you?" she asked in horror.  
  
Tim was flustered. He hadn't wanted his co-workers to find out about this - - at least not yet, anyway.   
  
"We're just having coffee." he said. Calleigh continued giving him the evil eye.  
  
"Look, I can handle it. It's just coffee." he said angrily, and walked out of the room. Calleigh hoped that he would come to his senses.  
  
Why Can't I   
  
By Liz Phair  
  
Walkin' down the street, and I hardly know you  
  
It's just like we were meant to be  
  
Holding hands with you, and we're out at night  
  
Got a girlfriend, you say it isn't right  
  
And I've got someone waiting too  
  
This is, this is just the beginning  
  
We're already wet, and we're gonna go swimming  
  
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you  
  
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you  
  
It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it  
  
So tell me  
  
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you  
  
Isn't this the best part of breakin' up  
  
Finding someone else you can't get enough of  
  
Someone who wants to be with you too  
  
It's an itch we know we are gonna scratch  
  
Gonna take a while for this egg to hatch  
  
But wouldn't it be beautiful  
  
Here we are, we're at the beginning  
  
We haven't made love yet, but heads spinning  
  
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you  
  
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you  
  
It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it  
  
So tell me  
  
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you  
  
I'd love for you to make me wonder  
  
Where it's going'I'd love for you to pull me under  
  
Something's growing'  
  
for this that we can control  
  
Baby I am din.'  
  
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you  
  
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you  
  
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you  
  
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you  
  
It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it  
  
So tell me  
  
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you  
  
Tim went home to change before meeting Sara. He didn't know what to expect. Would she be sexy and provocative like he imagined that her movies were, or would she be like the girl next door? The thrill of not knowing was very exciting.  
  
He waited at the table at the outside café' for her to arrive. He didn't have to wait long. There she was, right on time.  
  
She had her hair down, and was wearing a short, flouncy dress that showed off her legs. She was wearing very little make-up, and was a combination of sexy and girl-next-door.  
  
Tim got up and pulled the chair out for her and then sat down himself. They ordered coffee, and began talking. Tim avoided the subject that he was dying to know about. This, did not go unnoticed by Sara.  
  
"You didn't ask me about, you know." she started. Tim suddenly looked nervous.  
  
"Not everything is always what it seems." She said mysteriously.  
  
"I'm not really a porn star." She let the statement hang in the air, and watched his face for a reaction. Tim was shocked. She took a deep breath before continuing.  
  
"Two years ago, my best friend's little sister ran away from home. They found out that she had ended up doing porno, then she disappeared totally. I'm an investigative reporter, but I have a personal interest in this story. I've been 'in the life' for about a year and a half." she waited for Tim to digest all of this.  
  
"A-Are you saying that you're not really a porn star?" he asked in a surprised tone.  
  
"Most of the scenes that I was in were staged."  
  
Tim still couldn't believe it. Now, he thought back to her strange questions about the kinds of girls he liked. It was all for a story.  
  
As Tim got ready for work the next day, he thought about his date with Sara. It took him awhile to get over the shock that she wasn't a porn star.  
  
He was still in shock when he said goodbye to Sara at her car.  
  
"I had a great time." Sara began. She noticed that Tim was a million miles away.  
  
"Uh, yeah, so did I.' Tim replied. Tim focused his attention on Sara's beautiful eyes. He had told himself that it was only coffee, but everything had changed now.  
  
He kissed her, and was surprised by the passion that he felt for her. This passion scared Sara. She pulled away.  
  
"I'm sorry . . .did I do something wrong?" Tim asked. Sara's eyes were cast downward.  
  
"No, I just. . .I just didn't expect to feel this way." Sara said.  
  
Tim swallowed hard and then kissed her again. He was in way over his head now.  
  
"So, did you go out with her?" Eric asked the next day.  
  
"Calleigh told me." he said, matter-of-factly. Tim rolled his eyes.  
  
"So, what happened?"   
  
"I'm not telling you anything." Tim said firmly. Eric know that he would, though.  
  
"I just had coffee with her." Tim insisted.  
  
Eric looked at him and knew that Tim wasn't telling everything.  
  
Look, Tim. There's nothing to be ashamed of. . ." Tim turned on Eric and was about to tell Eric everything, but he had made a promise.  
  
"Promise me you won't tell anyone. People in the porn world don't trust other people anyway. I knew that going undercover was the only was I was going to find out anything."  
  
Instead of saying anything, Tim just left. How could he explain to his friends how he felt about Sara?  
  
Tim's cell phone rang.  
  
"Tim, I found out something."  
  
It was Sara.  
  
"She was staying at an apartment out on Rembrandt. I'm gonna go check it out now." Before Tim could warn her to be careful, she had hung up.  
  
Two hours later, Tim was feeling very anxious. He hadn't heard from Sara, and he was worried.  
  
"Speedle, we got a body out on Rembrandt." Horatio said.  
  
Tim almost got sick, right there.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Horatio asked when Tim didn't move.  
  
"No, no. . ." Tim said as he began to gather his equipment, and ran out after Horatio.  
  
On the way over, Tim didn't know what he would find. He didn't know if he could handle seeing Sara lying dead.  
  
When they arrived, Tim was happy to see that it wasn't Sara that was dead. But, there was no sign of Sara.  
  
"Speed, I think there's something you're not telling me." Horatio said as he viewed Speed's reactions to everything that was happening.  
  
Tim told Horatio everything.  
  
"I'm not even going to tell you how many rules you've broken. Your girlfriend, was she here?" Horatio asked.  
  
"Why?" Speed asked.  
  
"Because now she's a suspect."  
  
Tim tried Sara on her cell phone several times, but there was no answer. He was beyond worried. Whoever killed this woman, probably had Sara. He didn't believe that Sara did this.  
  
Sara had finally stopped running. The tears were filling her eyes as she recalled the scene she had witnessed. She had finally found Natalie, her friend Sharon's sister. But, just as she had found her, she watched as the young woman was brutally murdered right in front of her.  
  
She had run, and kept running. She didn't know what to do, but her next thought was of Tim.  
  
She took out her cell phone, which she had turned off, and called Tim.  
  
As soon as his phone rang, Tim answered it.  
  
"Sara, where the hell are you?" She could tell that he was frantic. She started telling him everything, but she was speaking so quickly that he couldn't understand half of it.   
  
"Look, Sara, just tell me where you are, and I'll come and get you."  
  
She told him where she was, and he lost no time going to meet her.  
  
Tim waited until she was safely in the car before he exploded.  
  
"What were you thinking? Why would you go to that apartment alone? When we got the call, I thought it was you that got killed."  
  
Sara didn't realize that Tim might be the one that would be called to the scene.  
  
"Oh Tim, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."  
  
Tim glanced at her. He couldn't stay mad at he for long.  
  
"I forgive you." he said jokingly.  
  
"Now, back tot he matter at hand. Did you see who killed Natalie?"  
  
Sara nodded her head.  
  
"I only saw him from the back, and then I got out of there."  
  
"Did he see you?" Tim asked.   
  
"He might have." She said softly.  
  
Tim took Sara back to the station, and Sara told Horatio everything. Even though she didn't see the man's face, she was able to give an approximate height and weight and hair color.  
  
"You're staying with me." Tim said abruptly. He had to admit, he was feeling somewhat possessive, but he was worried. Sara didn't object.  
  
Even though Tim had told Horatio about Natalie being Sara's friend's sister, he didn't tell Horatio that Sara was an investigative reporter. It seemed that this did not matter anymore.  
  
Sara had told them that the dead woman's name was Natalie Prescott, and they were able to trace her history. Eric knew that Tim was not being straight with him, but he said nothing.  
  
In the meantime, Tim took Sara back to his apartment. He was thinking that he had wanted to do this from the beginning, and under different circumstances.  
  
"The bathroom is here, and there are some fresh towels - - in - - the - - closet."  
  
Tim had suddenly realized that Sara hadn't spoken much since she was questioned.  
  
"Hey, are you okay? Do you need to talk?" he asked.  
  
The tears came before she could stop them. She was not a crier, and so, was not proficient at stopping the flow of tears once they started. Tim, immediately rushed to her side.  
  
"Would you have gone out with me if I really were a porn star?" she asked.  
  
Time thought that she was just being silly, but he never would have said so.  
  
"Sara, I did go out with you when I thought you were a porn star." He was right, she thought, but it didn't change how she felt.  
  
"I don't know who I am anymore. I mean, I've played this part for so long, I forget which part I'm playing."  
  
Tim held her in his arms to comfort her.  
  
"Sara, look at me. None of that matters now. I know who you are. That's all that's important.'  
  
She wanted to believe him, but she thought about Natalie.  
  
"She was so young. I mean, it could have been me, easily."  
  
Tim could tell that Sara was exhausted. He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. As Sara slept, Tim thought about his feelings for her. He thought about she had said. He tried to think if he had, in any way, said anything that might make Sara think that he looked down upon her. He had accepted her from the moment he saw her. What could he do to help, he wondered.  
  
Through the darkness,   
  
I can see your light  
  
And you will always shine   
  
And I can feel your heart in mine   
  
Your face I've memorized   
  
I idolize just you  
  
I look up to everything you are In my eyes you do no wrong   
  
I've loved you for so long   
  
And after all is said and done   
  
You're still you   
  
After all, you're still you   
  
You walk past me   
  
I can feel your pain   
  
Time changes everything   
  
One truth always stays the same   
  
You're still you   
  
After all, you're still you   
  
I look up to everything you are  
  
In my eyes you do no wrong   
  
And I believe in you   
  
Although you never asked me to   
  
I will remember you   
  
And what life put you through   
  
And in this cruel and lonely world   
  
I found one love   
  
You're still you   
  
After all, you're still you   
  
The window slowly opened. Neither Sara, or Tim heard the unwanted visitor in the apartment.  
  
As he made his way through the apartment, he didn't notice that someone was fallowing him. He made his way to the bedroom door, where he heard the word, "Freeze!"  
  
She had come to say goodbye. Tim knew this as soon as he saw her. Somehow, he knew that he would lose her the minute he met her.  
  
"I came to say goodbye. I'm going back home."  
  
He didn't want to lose her, but he knew that she had to do this. He realized now that the best way to help her was to let her go.  
  
"I'm gonna miss you." He said simply. He stroked he cheek, and then he kissed her.  
  
Calleigh and Eric watched this whole scene play out before them. They knew what was happening, and they would be there when she left. Tim was really going to need his friends.  
  
I will remember you   
  
And what life put you through   
  
And in this cruel and lonely world   
  
I found one love   
  
You're still you   
  
After all, you're still you 


End file.
